Jackson Scott Burton, MD
Internal Medicine Residency
University of Utah 
Salt Lake City, UT

In which residency or fellowship program are you currently in?

I am in the University of Utah Internal Medicine and R38 NHLBI StARR (Stimulating Access to Research in Residency) programs in Salt Lake City, UT.

Why did you choose internal medicine? If you’re in fellowship, why did you choose that subspecialty?

I really enjoyed all of my clerkships in medical school and had a really difficult time deciding on a specialty—it really came down to the wire! What finally brought me to internal medicine was reflecting on my personal aspirations to become a well-rounded clinician, excellent teacher, and independent clinical investigator, and then realizing that the many excellent internal medicine physicians I encountered in medical school were the physicians most often able to realize these ideals. In an era of increasing complexity and specialization in the field of medicine broadly, I valued that internal medicine encourages you to chart your own path while maintaining high standards for evidence-based medicine, teaching, and research. For instance, my program offers a year of funded research during clinical training through the R38 NHLBI StARR program that has helped me develop as a clinician investigator.

What lesson(s) did you learn in residency or fellowship that will help you for the rest of your career? 

As an internal medicine resident, I’ve realized how important it is to develop as an educator not only for the benefit of your team but also for your own lifelong learning. On the medicine wards, we provide a very crucial component of medical education for our medical students that has an enormous influence on their future practice whether they go on to emergency medicine or plastic surgery. Occupying this role encourages residents to grow quickly as educators. I’ve learned that teaching is a skill like any other that requires preparation, diligence, and repetition. 

What are your plans for after residency or fellowship? What factors or advice from mentors contributed to your decision?

I will be applying to cardiology fellowships in July 2027 with the hope of matching into a concurrent T32 research fellowship. I’ve been most influenced by mentors who combine clinical care and research in a symbiotic relationship, drawing motivation from each realm to improve upon the other. The most important advice I’ve received is to identify mentors you admire then to ask yourself, “How can I become them?”

How has being a member of ACP helped you in your professional life? What resources have been most helpful to you?

ACP has been an excellent organization; my local chapter organizes regular research and case presentation competitions. I was lucky enough to win the 2025 Utah ACP Case Competition and was given the opportunity to travel to San Francisco, CA, for the national ACP meeting to present my case. I also appreciate receiving Annals of Internal Medicine, specifically the Beyond the Guidelines feature, which can form the basis for many great chalk talks on rounds!